1. Field of the invention
The present invention concerns a device for automatically distributing variable length labels from a spooled continuous strip.
2. Description of the prior art
The present invention is more particularly concerned with a device for automatically dispensing labels from a continuous strip comprising:
a strip guide path, PA1 cutting means mounted on said path, PA1 intermittent strip feed means mounted on said path relative to the cutting means to hold the strip simultaneously on the entry side and on the exit side of the cutting means and to feed it at a given speed, PA1 strip and label sensing means mounted on said path on the exit side of the cutting means and comprising a first sensor at a distance from the cutting means equal to a short label length and assigned to sensing an initial position of the strip on the path and a second sensor mounted at a distance from the cutting means equal to a long label length and assigned to sensing further feeding of the strip on the path from said initial position prior to actuation of the cutting means to cut each label to the required length, PA1 drive means for said feed means and said cutting means connected to said sensors and comprising an input receiving a short label/long label selector signal and initiating corresponding label dispensing sequences according to the signal sensing said initial position of the strip and the signal sensing the rest position of the cutting means, PA1 means for ejecting each cut label at a speed greater than said feed speed mounted on the exit side of the first sensor and separated from the feed means by a distance less than the short label length. PA1 a strip guide path, PA1 cutting means mounted on said path, PA1 intermittent strip feed means mounted on said path relative to said cutting means to hold said strip simultaneously on the entry side and on the exit side of said cutting means and to feed it at a given speed, PA1 strip and label sensing means mounted on said path on the exit side of said cutting means and comprising a first sensor at a distance from said cutting means equal to a short label length and assigned to sensing an initial position of said strip on said path and a second sensor mounted at a distance from said cutting means equal to a long label length and assigned to sensing further feeding of said strip on said path from said initial position prior to actuation of said cutting means to cut each label to the required length, PA1 drive means for said feed means and said cutting means connected to said sensors and comprising an input receiving a short label/long label selector signal and initiating corresponding label dispensing sequences according to the signal sensing said initial position of said strip and the signal sensing the rest position of said cutting means, PA1 means for ejecting each cut label at a speed greater than the feed speed mounted on the exit side of said first sensor and separated from said feed means by a distance less than said short label length, said device constituting a compact module comprising at least three parts hinged together including an upper flap and a main guide part and a lower guide part which cooperate with each other to form said guide path whose strip entry axis is offset angularly from the label exit axis. PA1 the lower part is adapted to be attached to a fixed base, PA1 the main part is hinged to the lower part about a substantially horizontal axis, PA1 the flap is hinged to the main part about an axis substantially parallel to the upper surface of the main part. PA1 rollers forming said feed means, PA1 said cutting means, PA1 at least one roller forming said ejector means, PA1 mechanical sensors forming said sensing means, PA1 motors constituting said drive means.
A dispenser of this kind is described in European Pat. No. 202 486 filed 22 Apr. 1986.
Label dispensers of this kind are not particularly compatible with compact modular franking machines. They do not always provide easy access to the label path for clearing a jam or for routine maintenance, for example. They often require a special arrangement to link the label and envelope paths at their outlet.
An object of the present invention is to propose an automatic label dispenser designed in particular to be fitted as a module to a franking machine and which solves the aforementioned problem whilst being simple, reliable and economical.